Today we’d like to introduce you to Summer Robinson.
Summer, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I am 21 years old, and I’ve been creating art as long as I can remember. My Nana is the one who fostered a real love of art in me from a super young age. When I was a kid I would go stay at her house for at least a week and we would paint, go to art shops, and she would tell me about all the new things she had created lately. She is one of my biggest inspirations to create now – I don’t know where I would be if she never fostered that love of art. The title of my business, Refound Inspiration, comes from a period in time where I had given up on art for nearly two years. I quit creating during my senior year of high school due to an awful art teacher who absolutely ruined art for me. I proceeded to ignore art completely for the next couple of years until my fourth semester of college when I finally caved and took an art class where I finally experienced the re-found inspiration for creating again.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
No, not at all. Art is difficult, and frustrating, and unsatisfying sometimes. It’s the easiest thing in the world to procrastinate, and I’m really good at that. It was really difficult to want to do art before I moved into my own apartment because I had to get everything out, set up, mix all my paint, do the painting, and then take it all apart again. That process alone stopped me from making a lot of paintings. Now that I have my own apartment – which I share with my amazing partner – I have my own studio space where everything is set up and ready to paint. Even now though, the procrastination is so difficult to breakthrough. I am the worst about procrastinating, that’s probably my biggest obstacle.
Please tell us about Refound Inspiration.
I run Refound Inspiration and I create unique fluid paintings that I could not replicate even if I tried. I like to say that I’m playing with gravity because I pour the paint on the canvas and tilt, however it tends to be a bit more complex of a process than that. I do commissions, art festivals (I had a booth at ArtsGoggle this past October,) and I teach art classes roughly once a month – one day it will be more often. I am most proud of the fact that I overcome my own procrastination to create beautiful works, and that I am such a young artist who is trying to make something of themselves. I’m also proud that I made the jump to start teaching what I do, that has probably been the thing I’m most proud of lately. I think me being completely terrified of what I’m doing is what sets me apart. I know what I’m doing (let’s be honest, only kind of) and I know how to do it, but I don’t know where I’m going or what will become of me as an artist. Those moments when I am terrified of what I’m making are when things turn out best though, I think. In the photos in this article, I was creating a 4 square foot painting – a size I’ve never poured in this technique before. It was so scary to paint it, I was so nervous of it turning out good for this article, and it turned out amazing. I’m so proud of how it turned out, it’s actually a commission headed to North Dakota!
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Luck has been amazing for me. I have an amazing set of friends, family, and such a kind Facebook crowd. If I’m being honest, I am only where I am because of my Facebook friends. I haven’t even met most of them in person! I’m sure I’ve driven them absolutely crazy with my posts about my art, but they are the ones who have bought so much art from me, they are the ones who have filled my art classes. I’ve been amazed by how much support can be found on such a huge social media. I’ve made so many great friends through a love of art and a passion for making small artists better known, such as my friend Connor Wisteria (Wisteria Arts on Facebook), and Tori Willeford (@hexinghair on Instagram.) I have also been lucky because my parents support me in everything I do, which I know not every artist gets. My partner is probably my biggest blessing though, I think he might love my art even more than I do! He constantly reassures me that I’m doing great and working hard, and he comes to every art event that I do. He supports me so much, and I will always be thankful for how much he cheers me on.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://society6.com/refoundinspo
- Phone: 817-739-6671
- Email: refound.inspiration@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/refound.inspiration
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Refound-Inspiration-1484202728353031/
Image Credit:
Connor Wisteria
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